The Magnificent Seven (2016 film)
| The Magnificent Seven | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Antoine Fuqua |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa Shinobu Hashimoto Hideo Oguni |
| Starring | |
| Music by | |
| Cinematography | Mauro Fiore |
| Edited by | John Refoua |
|
Production
companies |
|
| Distributed by | |
|
Release dates
|
|
|
Running time
|
133 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | |
| Box office | $58.6 million[5] |
The Magnificent Seven is a 2016 American westernaction film directed Antoineby Fuqua, and written by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk. A remake of the 1960 western film of the same name, which in turn was a remake of the 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai, the film stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo,Martin Sensmeier, Haley Bennett and Peter Sarsgaard. It is the final film of composer James Horner, who died the previous year after composing a part of the score; his friend Simon Franglen completed the music.
Principal photography began on May 18, 2015, in the north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Magnificent Seven premiered on September 8, 2016 at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in the United States on September 23, 2016, in conventional and IMAX theatres.[6] The film received mixed reviews from critics, although the cast was praised, and has grossed over $58 million worldwide.
Plot
In 1879, corrupt industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) besieges the mining town of Rose Creek, and slaughters a group of locals led by Matthew Cullen (Matt Bomer) when they attempt to stand up to him. Matthew’s wife, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), and her friend, Teddy Q (Luke Grimes), ride to the nearest town in search of someone who can help them and come upon bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington), who initially declines their proposal until he learns of Bogue’s involvement.
Chisolm sets out to recruit a group of gunslingers who can help him, starting with gambler Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt). They are later joined by sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), knife-wielding assassin Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), skilled tracker Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), Comanchewarrior Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) and notorious Mexican outlaw Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo).
Arriving in Rose Creek, the seven engage in a gunfight with Bogue’s enforcer McCann (Cam Gigandet) and his men and drive them away with a warning to leave Rose Creek alone. Surmising that Bogue and his forces will return in a week, the seven and Cullen train the townspeople to defend their home and grow fond of them. Robicheaux, haunted by the horrors of the Civil Warand fearing the inevitable killing he will be a part of, abandons the group and is replaced by Cullen.
Bogue arrives with his forces and attacks the city, but the bandits are ambushed by the townspeople, leading to a shootout during which Robicheaux rejoins the group, McCann is killed by Vasquez, and Horne is killed by Bogue’s Comanche assassin Denali (Jonathan Joss), who is later killed by Red Harvest. Bogue then unveils his secret weapon, a Gatling gun, with which he kills numerous innocents. Realizing they’re outgunned, the seven drive the townspeople away and mount their last stand.
Robicheaux and Rocks are killed by a second round of gunfire as Faraday sacrifices himself to destroy the Gatling gun and the rest of Bogue’s men, riding up to them in a final charge and then detonating a stick of dynamite right next to the gun. Bogue flees into town, where he is confronted by Chisolm, who disarms and wounds Bogue. As Chisolm is strangling Bogue, he reveals that Bogue and his men raped and murdered his mother and sister during a raid several years earlier, in which he himself survived being hanged. Bogue is then fatally shot by Cullen while reaching for a hidden gun in his boot.
In the aftermath, Faraday, Robicheaux, Rocks and Horne are buried in town and honored by the people of Rose Creek as heroes, while Chisolm, Vasquez and Red Harvest ride off, with Cullen remarking that their heroism made them legends.
Cast
The Magnificent Seven
- Denzel Washington as Sam Chisolm, a bounty hunter, the leader of the Seven
- Chris Pratt as Josh Faraday, a gambler with a fondness for explosives
- Ethan Hawke as Goodnight Robicheaux, a sharpshooter
- Vincent D’Onofrio as Jack Horne, a tracker
- Byung-hun Lee as Billy Rocks, an assassin[7]
- Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Vasquez, a Mexican outlaw
- Martin Sensmeier as Red Harvest, a Comanche warrior
Our Thoughts
It has been a while since I’ve seen a good shoot-em-up western film. This one was as expected… Outlandish, unbelievable, and over acted. I liked Pratt’s character, because he didn’t say too much, and waited until the end to show his stuff. If you liked the older version, or if you like westerns in general, this one is worth the price of a ticket. I’ll give it four stars, and recommend it for a good night out – MR
